Vail Daily letter: Husky pride

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You have provided superior coverage of Huskies soccer, boys and girls. Thank you. I have followed Huskies soccer from their first year, 1988, when without a girl's team my daughter, Wendy Rimel (graduating class 1989), and one other devoted passionate young lady, Kirsten Rogers, played varsity with the boys.

Lots of years and many successful teams have followed that first year of soccer at Battle Mountain High School.

You mention in your article that Dave Cope, absolutely a incredibly talented and devoted coach, "took over a program in the dumper" in 1993. Not so! My son, Brent Rimel, team 1992, Battle Mountain graduating class of1993, and many soccer teammates like him, still living in Eagle County, had a superior team and went into the playoffs, losing their first game in a shootout. Dave Cope was then the team's assistant coach. In 1993 the Huskies again went to the playoffs, with Dave as their coach, and lost their first game.

In those years the big game each year was Battle Mountain versus Vail Mountain School. The entire community packed the sidelines for this rivalry.

When Dave became assistant coach, I distinctly remember how excited Brent and the other players were. He brought a whole new dynamic, passion and ethic to the Battle Mountain soccer program. I have no memories of "a program in the dumper." To say that is an insult to the devoted players and their accomplishments prior to 1993.

Again, thank you for your excellent and devoted coverage of Battle Mountain sports. I just wanted to set the record straight. I daily enjoy reading the Vail Daily and even with my kids having long ago graduated from Battle Mountain High School, I still like reading about our young citizens' accomplishments.

Please share with our community the photos of the first Battle Mountain Huskies soccer team from the Battle Mountain class of 1989 yearbook. Check out the two girls on varsity; Ole Nodenes, a Norwegian exchange student; and Chad Fleisher bringing the ball down the sideline! And Duncan Allen scoring a hat trick in one game!

Soccer has been exciting and rewarding all these many years. As a community we celebrate Battle Mountain soccer, Dave Cope, and the Huskies' win of this year's state championship! Go Huskies!